The effect of Vitex Agnus Castus - could it be a miracle cure for your cycle?

Monk’s Pepper is also known as Vitex Agnus Castus. It’s the berries of the Mediterranean tree of the same name, Vitex Agnus Castus. Incidentally, Monk’s Pepper is also called chaste tree or chaste berry, because it is said to have been used as early as the Middle Ages to suppress the libido of men. Monk’s Pepper is known to be an effective remedy for breast pain, irregular periods, PMS symptoms, and some types of acne. However, researchers are still not entirely sure how the tree’s berries affect the human body. It is thought that they affect the hormonal “control center” in the brain. Monk’s Pepper is thus believed to be able to stimulate the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which acts as an antagonist of prolactin and can therefore help to lower prolactin levels. For that reason, it is thought to be able to alleviate the symptoms of high prolactin.

Symptoms of high prolactin levels may include:

• irregular or missed periods
• premenstrual mood swings
• loss of libido
• headaches
• breast pain
• vaginal dryness
• acne
• hirsutism (= the excessive growth of thick or dark hair in areas more typical of male hair growth)

High prolactin is one of several causes of excess androgens and can be easily confused with PCOS. If you get tested and get a high prolactin level, you should first check whether the level is momentarily or falsely elevated due to stress, exercise, or diet. Prolactin should ideally be tested under the following conditions:

 

• early in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle
• between 8am and noon
• in a fasted state
• hydrated
• not directly after sports or sex
• relaxed
• no hormonal contraceptives

Thanks to its prolactin-lowering and calming effect on the nervous system, Monk’s Pepper is said to be able to relieve PMS symptoms such as irritability, water retention, and breast pain. It has performed well in several clinical trials for PMS and PMDD. In a study without controls conducted in 2000 with 1634 female patients suffering from PMS symptoms, “93% reported a reduction in the number of symptoms or even disappearance of PMS symptoms” after three months of taking a supplement made from an extract of the fruit of Monk’s Pepper. The effectiveness of Monk’s Pepper to treat PMS has also been studied in China. The results showed that the plant can be useful in the treatment of moderate to severe PMS. Monk’s Pepper lowers pathophysiologically elevated prolactin levels and could be an effective treatment for women suffering from PMS. However, better-designed studies may be needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. 

In the above mentioned study, women with PMS took Monk’s Pepper during three consecutive menstrual cycles. Overall, 93 percent of the women who were given the plant extract reported a decrease in the PMS symptoms, including:

• depression
• anxiety
• cravings

The study, however, did not include a control group and placebo effects cannot be ruled out as a result. Two recent studies show that while Vitex appears to be helpful in relieving PMS symptoms in some people, its benefits may be overestimated.

Vitex may improve female fertility due to its possible effect on prolactin levels. The result of a clinical study confirms that there might be a fertility-enhancing effect of Vitex Agnus Castus. This may be particularly the case in women with a luteal phase disorder or a shortened second half of the menstrual cycle. This disorder is associated with abnormally high prolactin levels and makes it difficult for women to become pregnant. Taking monk’s pepper works best in the morning because that is when the pituitary gland responds best to the prolactin-lowering effects of the plant extract. If Vitex is to promote ovulation, it should be taken at the beginning of the follicular phase and taken until the first day of the period.

Monk’s Pepper may improve cycle regularity in some people. In studies comparing Monk’s Pepper to a placebo, Monk’s Pepper use improved cycle regularity in people with irregular periods or hyperprolactinemia (= an excess of prolactin). In these subgroups, the length of the luteal phase was prolonged by Monk’s Pepper. This is important because a shortened luteal phase is associated with decreased fertility and period irregularities caused by a progesterone deficiency. However, further and larger studies are needed to confirm these findings, but studies in animal models have yielded similar results.

Monk’s Pepper use may eventually cause irregularities in people with regular cycles, although this has been reported rarely in clinical trials. Other side effects are usually minor and may include:

• nausea
• upset stomach
• mild skin rash
• increased acne
• headache
• heavy periods

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid Monk’s Pepper, as its effects on the baby have not been particularly well studied.

Researchers also believe that Monk’s Pepper may interact with:

• antipsychotic medications
• hormonal contraception
• hormone replacement therapy

Therefore, be sure to talk to your doctor or a trained medical professional before taking Monk’s Pepper. Good to know: You should not take Monk’s Pepper for too long. To regulate the menstrual cycle, Vitex Agnus Castus is most effective during the first three to six months of use. After that, the effect may weaken. 

You can definitely consider taking Monk’s Pepper for an irregular cycle, but you should definitely be cautious with it if you have PCOS. Vitex can promote ovulation and menstruation, but it doesn’t work for everyone and in some cases it can make PCOS worse. At the same time, Vitex can relieve excess androgens caused by high prolactin levels. Before trying Monk’s Pepper for hypothalamic amenorrhea (missed periods), you can try increasing your food intake to at least 2500 calories per day.

Subclinical hyperprolactinemia (= an excess of prolactin) has been implicated as a possible cause of endometriosis in some women and is associated with amenorrhea and other menstrual irregularities. Monk’s Pepper has been shown to increase progesterone levels and thus prolong the hyperthermic phase of the basal metabolic temperature curve.

Try to avoid taking Monk’s Pepper too soon after coming off the hormonal contraceptive pill. After stopping hormonal contraception, the pituitary gland and ovaries begin to communicate with each other again for the first time in years, or sometimes perhaps even decades. It’s best to let this communication run its course and get back into balance for a few months before you might just mess things up even more due to the effect of Monk’s Pepper on the pituitary gland.